Middle Orient

Discussion of Islam in Western languages, and latterly much of it in the languages of the Islamic world as well, is bedeviled by polemic and reductionism. Islam itself always seems to be in the dock. One school of thought wishes to prove that Islam as such is responsible for all …

It was a brutal way to go, and it had the paw prints of the highest authorities. On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi Arabian insider turned outsider, was murdered by a squad of 15 men from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He was dismembered and quite literally cancelled …

The February 25 U.S. bombing of Syria immediately puts the policies of the newly-formed Biden administration into sharp relief. Why is this administration bombing the sovereign nation of Syria? Why is it bombing “Iranian-backed militias” who pose absolutely no threat to the United States and are actually involved in fighting …

The ship is being sailed to Dubai and should arrive there on Monday for the UAE to assess the damage. Iran is the main suspect behind the attack overnight Thursday on an Israeli-owned cargo vessel that was damaged by a mysterious explosion in the Gulf of Oman, Defense Minister Benny …

Mohammad Abu Adra’s background allowed him to move freely between Rehovot in Israel and Rafah in Gaza via the Erez crossing. An Israeli citizen has been arrested and indicted for collecting information for Hamas about the location of Iron Dome missile batteries, an Israel Security Service (Shin Bet) investigation has …

The attack on Saudi Arabia on Saturday included video of an interception over the skies of Riyadh. Iran is supporting its Houthi rebel allies and proxy in Yemen to conduct an increasing war against Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-led coalition, and also against Yemen government forces in Marib. Twenty-four hours have …

Saudi Arabia only received a bit of credit for its reforms that Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman announced. The US decision to release a declassified intelligence report on the murder of former Saudi Arabia insider Jamal Khashoggi could either represent part of the long-term shift in US-Saudi relations or a …

Israeli officials are concerned that increased pressure on the Saudis, will weaken the regional alliance against Iran. The Biden administration’s report on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, released on Friday, is as notable for what is not in it as it is for what is.“We assess that Saudi Arabia’s Crown …

Throughout 2020, the geopolitics between the Middle East and its northern frontier have converged further. Russia, Turkey, and Iran not only compete for influence (as states and through non-state actors) in core countries of the Middle East and North Africa like Syria, Iraq, Libya, Egypt and beyond in the Gulf. …

Iran’s attempts to achieve cyber dominance both within the MENA region and around the world have been well documented, particularly its efforts to spread pro-Iranian messaging and “tell Iran’s story.” This strategy is shaped by the challenging international context facing Tehran, which is suffering economically under U.S. sanctions and largely …